Black Cow Village Shop, Dalbury Lees, Derbyshire
APPLICANT AND BACKGROUND
The Black Cow is a pleasant pub in excellent condition situated on Dalbury Lees village green, fronting the road through the village. There is a car park at the side with both a rear patio area and garden. Dalbury Lees has no shop, post office or village hall, but the building of a new village hall is about to commence. The nearest village shop is at Kirk Langley, some 5 miles away, a 10 mile round trip by car.
The Black Cow is already the central hub to the village, and runs various charity events. The owner and licensee, Mr Ivan Cope, has successfully owned and run this very good community-oriented pub business for the past eight years and is very established within the village community. Mr Cope previously operated a very simple shop service over the bar, selling eggs, other local produce and certain essentials. Through local support for this small service, Mr Cope was confident that there was a need to extend the service to provide a separate shop area within the pub, so that he could build on his success.
PROJECT SUMMARY
The project converted an existing storeroom, located next to the kitchen and adjoining the main pub lobby, and built a small serving hatch. There is no physical access into the shop, and all services are provided from the kitchen staff or bar staff who serve customers. The hatch allows Mr Cope to maximise the store area, which is not large. The existing lobby is generous and therefore offers a fully covered area for customers to wait in and it has an external door as well as an internal door linking into the lounge.
Mr Cope project managed this small scheme himself, and was able to use the services of local trades-people. The building work included the moving of electrics, providing a new floor, minor building alterations, decorations and a simple fit out of the shop, including a fridge and freezer.
OUTCOMES
The project has built on the central role of the pub in a small-scale sustainable way in response to the needs of the local community. By providing a wider range of local services in the village, the community should become more self-sustaining, feel less isolated, and become more sustainable in the long term.
There is strong community support, which has encouraged the licensee to invest in this rural business. The shop sells local produce, which in turn helps to support other small local businesses. Overall, this project is a positive step towards improving the services for people in the local area, which is welcomed and well supported.
LESSONS TO LEARN
- The innovative shop development suits the internal layout of the pub, and fits well with the business.
- The project gained the full support of the Parish Council and local people.
- The cost of the scheme is small and represents excellent value for money.
- The licensee demonstrated a clear vision and the ability to deliver the project.
PROJECT CAPITAL COSTS
- Total project capital costs £4,277.00
- Applicant contribution £1,069.25
- Pub is the Hub Grant £3,207.75
LICENSEE CONTACT: Mr Ivan Cope. Tel. 01332 824297
PUB IS THE HUB CONTACT: Mr Hugh Wilson. Tel. 01423 568987
Black Cow case study.pdf